


Guard Duties

by firewolfsg



Series: Journey of Light (光) [18]
Category: Saiunkoku Monogatari
Genre: M/M, Reconciliation, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-03
Updated: 2010-04-03
Packaged: 2017-10-08 16:12:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/77447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firewolfsg/pseuds/firewolfsg
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ensei bemoans the hardships of secretly guarding Kouyuu and the obtuseness of a friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Guard Duties

Ensei winced at the delighted though muffled squeal coming from the viewing pavilion and let out a long suffering sigh. Kouyuu must have bent over again and made a rather lovely presentation of his ass to Jyuusan Hime and the maids. The former Governor of Sa province immediately pinched himself to clear his mind of the image that thought provoked. Really, the summer couldn't end fast enough for Ensei.

It was stressful for him to discreetly ensure Kouyuu's privacy from more sinister eyes. Any day now, he expected either Shuuei or Seiran to find out about Kouyuu's near nude wolf bathing activities and go homicidal on the persistent few whom Ensei regularly chased off. Not to talk about what either man would say to him in wondering why he never said a word to them about his Emperor appointed duties.

On top of that the delighted squeals and whispers of the girls were really getting on his nerves. Fair is fair, Ensei grumbled, if he was driving off the men then he really should also chase away the women too. But he just couldn't work up the courage to confront Jyuusan Hime.

Still, at the end of the day, Ensei really couldn't blame the Prime Minister's Aide for his predicament. Kouyuu was just being practical; if it had been him and he was sure he wasn't being watched, he'd have gone totally bare. After all, why risk getting his good clothes wet or lug around an extra set of clothes? It was a perfectly sound move to just take off everything and set the clothes aside where they wouldn't get in the way. Fortunately, Kouyuu was a very prudish man or the viewing pavilion would really have been used the way Ryuuki's perverted ancestor had intended, to view a nude bather.

Ensei shuddered at the thought and steadfastly told himself not to dwell on the memory of what he saw. But it was hard! For an administrator who was unused to regular physical activity, Kouyuu had a remarkably *fine* body. Then again, Ensei also realised he could credit himself for some of that impressive muscle tone since he did start teaching Kouyuu fisticuffs a few months back and was still sparring with the man at least twice a week.

When the Emperor and Jyuusan Hime first showed Ensei their secret assignment for him, he had to admit that he was stunned at the vision Kouyuu unintentionally made of himself while bathing his guard wolf. Even when he tried not to, the former Sa Governor couldn't help but think wistfully of the play of sunlight upon the shimmering mist the small waterfall created around the pale, and near nude aqua-haired scholar.

However, memories of how fuckable the Prime Minister's Aide looked also inevitably evoked thoughts and fears of staring down the business end of Ran Shuuei's blade. Ensei forcefully shook himself from these thoughts and took a moment to make a scan of the surrounding trees again, hoping to see a voyeur to vent his frustrations upon. Not that there were all that many since he started patrolling the area whenever Kouyuu took his wolf to the harem grounds for a bath.

There were still a few persistent perverts, but they always wisely fled before Ensei could get close enough to identify them. Then again there were also the ones who'd boldly approach the viewing pavilion like Kouki, Shuurei's boss, who'd claimed that he was just checking on Ensei to see why Shuurei allowed her assistant to take off so often; and Anju, who Ensei was sure dropped by frequently because he wanted to mess with his mind just as much as he liked 'playing' with Shuurei.

Ensei growled to himself, he just wished Shuuei would get on with it, apologise to his best friend and start making amends already. If everyone *knew* for sure Kouyuu was off the market and had the former general for a significant other, no one would dare intrude on the man's privacy and Ensei could give up this nearly weekly guard duty.

Honestly! If Shuuei didn't realise he was in love with Kouyuu by now…

During the horrible weeks when Kouyuu had lain in a coma at the prison, the ex-General's care and concern for his comatose friend was all the guards and most of the military men gossiped about. Shuuei's attentiveness in keeping his friend's frail body and bed clothes clean, then later his desperate efforts to feed and get sustenance into a body growing thinner day by day, moved many of the hardened soldiers to tears.

It was difficult not to marvel and feel touched to watch the man as he leaned Kouyuu's limp body upright against his own and spooned a weak broth to pale lips, then patiently wipe away most of the liquid as it dribbled away un-swallowed. It eventually came to a point where Shuuei would take the liquid in his mouth as a means to transfer it into Kouyuu's to force him to swallow the desperately needed nutrients. Ensei was sure that Shuuei gained more respect and admiration from the soldiers for the care and devotion he showed to his best friend during these weeks than in all his previous years of service as their commanding officer.

However, after Kouyuu woke from his coma and was finally released from prison, the blasted man suddenly backed off and didn't allow anyone to tell the aqua-haired scholar the lengths which his best friend had gone to in caring for him. The man was hopeless! It seemed even long after the incident was over, the soldiers were still quietly arguing over what was really between the Emperor's twin flowers.

Ensei had to take his hat off to the soldier who started the betting pool concerning the pair. And it was a pretty generously growing pot too, over whether the pair was really just friends, or soon-to-be-lovers who would finally publicly acknowledge their love. How they managed to keep word of the betting pool from reaching Shuuei's ears, Ensei would never know.

It was an interesting bet. The 'just friends' camp had ample evidence to brandish, after all, Shuuei was quite renowned for being a frequent visitor to the red light district, and he did still visit the Kogarou once every other week if not weekly. Then, there were also the whispered stories of the unrequited crushes Shuuei had. The first one being with his brother's wife, and from whom he first fled the Ran province with a broken heart. Then there was his alleged crush on one of the emperor's ladies in waiting, Shusui. These points seemed to affirm the ex-General's inclination towards the fairer sex.

The 'soon-to-be-lovers' school argued back that the Prime Minister's Aide was thought to be a misogynist. So it was not a stretch to imagine he would find love in another man's arms. Li Dono certainly paid no attention to the many paintings of gorgeous women often cast before him by prospective father in laws.

However, the 'just friends' camp pointed out that Kouyuu had a respectful and friendly relationship with Kou Shuurei and Jyuusan Hime; was remembered to have been kind to the palace handmaiden, Kourin; and had a great affection and deference to his adopted mother, Yuri Hime. It could be easily explained that Kouyuu generally didn't like 'other' women because of the harassment from prospective father in laws who wanted to nab him for their daughters because he was recognised as 'The' son of the head of the influential Kou clan and now the Prime Minister's Aide.

Personally, Ensei placed his money with the 'soon-to-be-lovers' camp. But with the way the situation stood between the best friends, Ensei was also quite convinced he'd turn old and grey before Shuuei finally made his move. And it was Shuuei who needed to make the first move.

For all that Ensei didn't really know the two men very well; even he could sense that Shuuei had broken something in Kouyuu. He didn't know when it happened, but there was a very raw guilt in Shuuei's manner around his best friend, and a pain in Kouyuu's eyes whenever he laid eyes on him. Ensei was sure neither man realised how much they revealed to those who looked closely enough. It was quite obvious to their friends that the two men were miserable in their awkward friendship. The former Governor of the Sa province hoped they'd clear this up soon.

*~*~*

The ringing yell of the Prime Minister's Aide brought Ensei grumbling towards the harem grounds once again, but this time, he was delightedly surprised at the new wrinkle to the usual pattern. He turned to Jyuusan Hime to verify what he saw and was faced by her bemused expression.

"Yes, it appears my pathetic Aniue finally stopped being an idiot." The woman sighed wistfully as they noted the modest way Kouyuu attired himself in a short sleeved white robe which covered his body to mid thigh, a match for Shuuei's own light blue under robes.

Ensei's lips pulled into a grin as he saw Shuuei nonchalantly playing with his sword while letting his gaze sweep meaningfully over their surroundings. He nearly burst out laughing when he heard the ex-general proclaim rather loudly to his best friend that he'd take Shiro for a run through the woods to make sure she was thoroughly dried off once they were done with her bath. If there were any hopeful voyeurs in the woods, they made themselves immediately scarce.

Jyuusan Hime's expression struggled to settle between disappointment and relief as they watched Kouyuu welcome Shuuei to assist him in bathing his wolf with a shy smile. Ensei could understand her conflict. On one hand, the girls had lost the opportunity to ogle a near nude Kouyuu. On the other, the Emperor's twin flowers were finally repairing their broken friendship.

As for Ensei, he was delighted to know he was closer to winning the pot of the betting pool. If they'd just officially hook up before winter, he might even win a tidy little sum with his side bet for guessing the season when they'd acknowledge their relationship. In any case, whatever happened, it just warmed his heart to see the two men relax in each other's presence again.

Ensei chuckled as he turned to Jyuusan Hime. "It looks like your beloved Aniue just killed your fun."

Or at least that's what Ensei initially thought when twin splashes and loud cries brought their attention back to the trio. The wolf pup stood triumphantly over the two thoroughly drenched and soaked to the skin men sitting in the chest high waters.

"SHIRO!"

Ensei almost choked in his effort to control his laughter, while the girls were less restrained though carefully muffled behind their long sleeves. "Oh, I don't know." Jyuusan Hime coughed between stifled snorts of laughter. "It seems Shiro's quite determined to provide us with entertainment."

Ensei was ready to laugh his agreement when the two men stood up. Then he noticed how the wet robes had turned almost translucent and now clung to every curve and crevice of the pair of very *fine* looking young men.

The muffled squeals of delight from the ladies sent Ensei running. He had already done his duty by Kouyuu in secretly protecting him for much of the summer. Those two were on their own from here on out.

~owari~

  


Thanks for reading.

  


Cheers, firewolf


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